I wonder if you guys can help but it is a non skoda question.

My g/f's vectra has just failed it's MOT on the emissions test and when they have hooked it up to the diagnositic machine it showing a fault with either the air intake switch or the oxygen sensor.

Now the problem is the garage has told me the air intake switch is £99 and the oxygen switch £38 plus £50 for fitting both (does that sound reasonable).

However it may take only one of these parts to replace the problem he tells me the air intake is the more common one that goes but I have told him to put the £38 oxygen switch on first as even if it does need both we have only wasted £38 instead of putting the air intake on and finding it hasn't done the trick and wasting £100.

Talk about been stuck between a rock and hard place.

Thing is with Vauxhall's, there so hit and miss sometimes.

I worked in parts for 7 years at a Vauxhall Main dealer, and i had a Vectra....nowt but running problems till nearly every sensor was replaced!

Whats the engine size and what year is it on?

My guess is S reg-51 reg, and a 1.8 0r 2.0 16 v Ecotec!

1.8 V Reg 99/00

Just coming up for 70,000 miles and there is hardly ever a problem with it.

The £99 was for the part direct from Vauxhall and the £38 part was a universal part not from vauxhall.

It's prob like all things though when one thing starts going you are prob best getting them both replaced as the second one will prob go in 6 months time.

Another question could this high emission problem cause poor fuel economy?

yeah it will show a crappy fuel consumption....

That explains a lot she said it seemed to be going through fuel quick and I had it down in the low 20's per gallon.

At the moment I am only getting 25-28mpg out of my fabia so didn't think anything of it with it been a 1.8 and mine a 1.4.

Hmm...Like i said just be aware that the EML might still come on once those bits are sorted!

There a pain!

Is the oxygen sensor actually showing a fault (open/short circuit, heater broken) or is it just reporting back that the mixture is rich? If it is reporting a rich mixture try the air intake sensor first as a fault with this may make it run rich.

Dam needed to have both parts on engine light was still on after the oxygen sensor so had to put the air intake sensor on light went off and it passed.

However like Youngsyd said the light has come back on now mechanic said give it a week to settle down with the new parts and it might go off.

Hmmm maybe...!

Maybe not!

Whats the problem with it?

Or was it a case of nothing seems wrong the lights just on

Nothing seems wrong apparantley he took it for a run and it went off then came back on again.

Hmm...Sounds a bit like a Vectra!

Mine was so inbetween!

One month it ran fine, the next nowt but problems!